Finding the best online bargains this holiday season

Lela Davidson

Shopping online can be a great way to score hot deals if you
have a plan. Instead of spending countless hours browsing and price
comparing, stick to a few good practices.

Promo codes are your friends

Before checking out with any online retailer, always search for
discount codes. Just type in the name of the retailer and "free
shipping," "coupons," and "promo codes." Run each search separately
for the best chance to find a good code. It's worth the extra
minute it takes to search.

LivingSocial and Groupon

If you haven't tried deep discount coupon sites yet, you are
missing out. Sign up to receive local deals by email.

Penny items on Amazon

Can you really buy toothpaste for a penny? Or window cleaner or
socks? Yes! With a little patience and flexibility you can get
quite a few items for a single penny on Amazon. That does not
include shipping, so you'll still want to shop smart and combine
your items. Browsing penny sales is a great way to stock up on
essentials. Simply navigate to a department and category and choose
to browse based on price. It's like a treasure hunt!

Got RetailMeNot?

It offers coupons, deals and special offers from more than
60,000 retailers and restaurants. This is the no-brainer site to
save on clothes, electronics, food, entertainment and more.

Sign up for newsletters

Your favorite merchants want your business. That's why they
tempt you with great offers in their email newsletters. For easy,
convenient access to the hottest deals, create an account with an
online retailer and opt in to receiving e-mail blasts. Many of
these offers are tailored to meet your online buying habits.

Clean up your cookies

Your web browser's cookies could be setting you up to pay higher
prices. If you don't delete your cookies, websites recognize you as
a returning customer, which can hurt your bargain-hunting efforts.
Clear your cookies regularly.